HDMI output not working after 5.24 update

Andearoid · 2019-12-12T22:18:57+00:00

Hello, I'm running a Batocera 5.24 x64 on a laptop with an HDMI video output. At startup I can see the boot process simultaneously as dual display on the LV...

Andearoid

I found how to fix this issue on my laptop.

Edit the /userdata/system/.xinitrc file.

Then add this two lines :
xrandr --output HDMI-0 --mode 1280x720 --rate 60 --primary
xrandr --output LVDS --off

Note: You have to disable LVDS video output (laptop's screen), otherwise RetroArch will not start at all and you will not be able to play games. So, dual screen with simultaneous display isn't possible.

Next step, I would like to be able to choose the video output at Batocera's startup using prompt or throught the video output option when I switch between HDMI0/LVDS in Batocera's setting panel.

So, is there any way to change scripts behind setting panel ? Or is it binaries ?

Other new issue I get : HDMI audio doesn't sound anymore in EmulationStation but it does in RetroArch for gaming. Audio output is set as HDMI0 in Batocera's setting panel. If I change this option to Auto, after reboot I get sound from EmulationStation throught laptop speakers and I get sound from RetroArch throught the HDMI monitor device.

Andearoid

I can't modify the /etc/init.d boot process. This means it's impossible to put a prompt asking to select the video output to activate before starting EmulationStation.

So I did two .xinitrc file :
. /userdata/system/.xinitrc_hdmi
. /userdata/system/.xinitrc_lvds

And a script file : /userdata/changeVideoOuput.sh
Here is its content :

#!/bin/bash

clear
echo "Select video output :"
echo "L= Laptop's screen (default)"
echo "H= HDMI"
read -t 10 -n 1 answer

if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
 answer="l"
fi

clear

if [[ $answer == "l" ]]; then
 cp /userdata/system/.xinitrc_lvds /userdata/system/.xinitrc
 echo "Restart Batocera to get display on your laptop's screen"
elif [[ $answer == "h" ]]; then
 cp /userdata/system/.xinitrc_hdmi /userdata/system/.xinitrc
 echo "Restart Batocera to get display on your HDMI video device"
else
 echo "Invalid choice"	
fi

sleep 5
exit

Don't forget to : chmod +x /userdata/changeVideoOuput.sh

In the /userdata/system/.xinitrc_hdmi file I use theses commands lines :
xrandr --output HDMI-0 --mode 1280x720 --rate 60 --primary
xrandr --output LVDS --off

And in the /userdata/system/.xinitrc_lvds file I use theses commands lines :
xrandr --output LVDS --mode 1280x720 --rate 60 --primary
xrandr --output HDMI-0 --off

Now to change the video output, I need :
. to press [F1] key to open the file explorer (PCManFM)
. double click changeVideoOuput.sh
. click the button "Run in Terminal"
. choose L for Laptop's screen or H for HDMI video output
. restart my Batocera

BernoO

I hit with "some kind" of solution like yours. Less elaborated, same principle. However, if you use...

 xrandr --output LVDS --auto

Sets the higher and better resolution for the called display.

Thanks!

Andearoid

BernoO I use an old and slow laptop hardware to run my Batocera. An high screen resolution can produce many slow down while gaming. Or input lags effects.

So, I think it's a good practice to force a fixed resolution at Batocera's startup. Also, it can be usefull when you're using bezel/overlay masks with specifics sizes too.

And finally, most old retrogames use resolution under 720p. So, it will not look really more better on a 4K video screen with an auto scale display. CRT were very blur ant it was more pleasing to the eye than a very sharp picture.

I think a resolution setting should be available in the main panel of Batocera's system options.

Andearoid

Now I can fix my HDMI audio issue too !!

Previously, sound was only available in game, this means I couldn't hear the sound of video snapshots in EmulationStation.

To solve this issue, create a /userdata/system/.asoundrc file and set the audio output to Custom in the Batocera's setting panel.

Here is my .asoundrc file content :

pcm.dmixer {
  type dmix
  ipc_key 2048
  slave {
    pcm "hw:1,3" #card1, device3 (HDA ATI HDMI, HDMI 0)
    period_size 512
    buffer_size 4096
    rate 48000
    format S16_LE
  }
  bindings {
    0 0
    1 1
  }
}

pcm.!default {
  type plug
  slave.pcm dmixer
}

pcm:iec958 {
  type plug
  slave.pcm dmixer
}

You will probably need to change this line to match with your hardware :
pcm "hw:1,3"

On my laptop, 1 means card 1 and 3 means device 3.
To know your values for your HDMI output use this command line : aplay -l

CleitoJJ

Andearoid In my case, I had no audio through hdmi neither by emulation station nor in game. But change the audio device in /userdata/system/.asoundrc and set custon in Audio Options resolved my problem.

Thank You.

RetroFuture

Andearoid man thank you so much for this. I’ve been chasing a fix for this issue for months. Your .asoundrc file did the trick.
This is the kind of knowledge and help I had come to expect in the Retropie forums. I must say that though I really like Batocera, I’ve been very disappointed with the forums. You’ve given me some hope for it. Thank you.

Andearoid

If you need to switch between the laptop's screen and the HDMI ouput, remember you can update your new /userdata/changeVideoOuput.sh script file.

Like this :

#!/bin/bash

clear
echo "Select video output :"
echo "L= Laptop's screen (default)"
echo "H= HDMI"
read -t 10 -n 1 answer

if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
 answer="l"
fi

clear

if [[ $answer == "l" ]]; then
 cp /userdata/system/.xinitrc_lvds /userdata/system/.xinitrc
 cp /userdata/system/.asoundrc_lvds /userdata/system/.asoundrc
 echo "Restart Batocera to get display on your laptop's screen"
elif [[ $answer == "h" ]]; then
 cp /userdata/system/.xinitrc_hdmi /userdata/system/.xinitrc
 cp /userdata/system/.asoundrc_hdmi /userdata/system/.asoundrc
 echo "Restart Batocera to get display on your HDMI video device"
else
 echo "Invalid choice"	
fi

sleep 5
exit

As sample, here is my /userdata/system/.asoundrc_hdmi file :

pcm.dmixer {
  type dmix
  ipc_key 2048
  slave {
    pcm "hw:1,3" #card1, device3 (HDA ATI HDMI, HDMI 0)
    period_size 512
    buffer_size 4096
    rate 48000
    format S16_LE
  }
  bindings {
    0 0
    1 1
  }
}

pcm.!default {
  type plug
  slave.pcm dmixer
}

pcm:iec958 {
  type plug
  slave.pcm dmixer
}

And my /userdata/system/.asoundrc_lvds file :

pcm.dmixer {
  type dmix
  ipc_key 2048
  slave {
    pcm "hw:0,0" #card0, device0 (HDA Intel, ALC269 Analog)
    period_size 512
    buffer_size 4096
    rate 48000
    format S16_LE
  }
  bindings {
    0 0
    1 1
  }
}

pcm.!default {
  type plug
  slave.pcm dmixer
}

pcm:iec958 {
  type plug
  slave.pcm dmixer
}

Hope my experience will help you or give you some tricks to solve your issue too.

[deleted]

DarkP Andearoid
Better use this solution for HDMI video problems.

This issue is already fixed and will be available in next release cycle

You can fix manually:
Edit /userdata/system/batocera.conf
and remove the line

# global.videooutput=""

DarkP

Please give a more detailed instruction how to solve this issue for linux-dummies.

Andearoid

DarkP I'm a Linux-dummies too.

To begin, I only known how to SSH connect and browse directories with few command lines.
Internet is the only source of knowledge I used. It took me a long time to solve my issues because I have to search/understand how Linux and Batocera work. Then I tested many tricks before getting any results.

So the best practice I can share with others dummies : make a backup before changing anything, because everything in a Linux operating system can be a trap.

If you have a question and I get your notification, I can reply.
But I'm not a Linux expert.

Andearoid

[deleted] The # char means the global.videooutput parameter is disabled/ignored. It's the same as nothing or removing the line. This fix cannot solve anything.

[deleted]

Andearoid Not at all! Please check your batocera.conf it is possible that there are two entries

# global.videooutput=""
global.videooutput="HDMI"

This issue is already fixed in 5.25-dev --> https://batocera.org/upgrades/x86_64/beta/last/batocera-5.25-x86_64-20191231.img.gz

Andearoid

[deleted] Sorry, I can't find any other "global.videooutput=" entries in my batocera.conf file... but I'm sure the 5.25 final release will fix this issue.

Phoxer

[deleted] This resolved my issues with HDMI 🙂

but I had to put this line in order to make that work
global.videooutput=HDMI0

Thank you.

Bizness

This fix worked for me

[deleted]

Andearoid Did you not activate video output setup from ES menu to HDMI? The key is generated by EmulationStation if not then 5.25 should fix this issue 😃

Andearoid

CAUTION !! After upgrading my Batocera X64 laptop to the 5.27 release, I had to replace HDMI-0 to HDMI-1 and LVDS to LVDS-1 in my .xinitrc file.

Video output ports changed their name. So you’ll probably have to change them too.
I think this happen after a internal video driver update.